The Three Minute Grandparent: Daddy
Any man can be a Father but it takes someone special to be a Daddy.  My Daddy was 30 years older than me, yet he was involved in my growth and development and spent time with me on a regular basis.  Daddy gave me my first pet, a Collie that I named Pal.
  Daddy sensed that I needed to care for something which would help me grow and understand responsibility.  Pal and I ate from the same can of dog food and ran all over our large back yard.
As I grew, Daddy gave me a bicycle which gave me wings to fly over the yard and eventually through neighborhood streets and finally to school.  Daddy tried to help me understand cars, working under the hood changing the oil, fanbelts, generators, even shock absorbers.  He showed this 3 year old boy a spark plug and I thought it was candy, promptly responding with,” I like spark plugs.”  I resisted Daddy as I grew older and did not have an interest in cars.  Oh, I watched him as I grew older but bike riding seemed more interesting and finally driving occupied much of my thoughts.  He saw to it that I learned to drive….on a 1948 Ford Coupe. 
It was the oldest car in town, or so I thought, but I learned to drive. 
Daddy took me to see unusual things like the opening of the city jail, open house at a mobile home park, the Goat Man and his wagon pulled by dozens of goats,
 and anything that struck his fancy as interesting.  We picked up pecans and I learned to crack 2 together with one hand.  I knew where the local persimmon tree was and could recognize when they were ripe, try eating one that is not ripe!
Daddy found a used ski boat and we all learned to water ski, he planted gardens and we all ate fresh vegetables, he planted roses all over the yard and we had flowers for teachers, and he cooked the best goulash on Saturday afternoons when Mother was shopping.  My Daddy passed his Faith on to me and I am eternally grateful that he cared enough to share eternal values with me.  I felt that my Daddy could do anything and would be with me forever.  He died 30 years ago and I still grieve and miss him.
I am trying to pass on to my children and now grandchildren the fun and important lessons that he shared with me.  I want to be the man of integrity that he was and demonstrated to me on a daily basis.  Happy Father’s Day, Daddy. 

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